MACUNGIE, Pa. — Months after the borough voted to oust Macungie Volunteer Fire Department as its official fire service, an effort to rezone land it owns has failed as new leadership seeks to revive the organization.
The borough swapped fire service to Lower Macungie Fire Department in December after Macungie Fire Department's former leaders failed to produce a requested audit and borough council members voiced accusations of mismanagement and indebtedness.
Council voted 4-3 at its last meeting to amend the township zoning map for land owned by the fire department and part of Kalmbach Memorial Park, but Mayor Ron Conrad vetoed it.
Board members did not pursue a second vote Monday.
According to the borough's solicitor, if the matter is not brought up for a vote again or is unable to pass a majority-plus-one margin, it would not be able to overcome the veto.
Any progress on the ordinance would have to begin from a fresh slate.
The ordinance would have amended the 2013 zoning regulations to turn two lots — one already zoned residential containing the private park and the other, containing the Macungie Volunteer Fire Department property, to low-density residential.
For the fire department, that would have limited permitted-by-right uses — eliminating, without prior approval, use of the building as a community center, restaurant, recreation, live entertainment or recreation venue.
Fire department officials say the building still has the potential as a social hall, and that the ordinance would have harmed their attempts to make revenue.
'Would be a great asset'
Fire Department President Tim Romig, who was brought on to the position this year, said the only contact the fire department had with the borough regarding the proposed change was a notification letter about a public hearing.
Romig decried the attempt to place limitations on the site, given its history of various uses as a rented-out space.
"The new leadership of the Macungie Volunteer Fire Department is dedicated in their attempt to rebuild the [department] for the future. We believe that if we are able to rebuild the [department] this would be a great asset to the Borough of Macungie, its residents and its businesses."Macungie Volunteer Fire Department President Tim Romig
"The new leadership of the Macungie Volunteer Fire Department is dedicated in their attempt to rebuild the [department] for the future," Romig said in a statement at the prior meeting where the ordinance was introduced.
"We believe that if we are able to rebuild the [department] this would be a great asset to the Borough of Macungie, its residents and its businesses."
Romig, who owns Automotive Service Solutions in the borough, has worked with other volunteers to recruit for and clean up Macungie Volunteer Fire Department facilities while working to settle the organization's debts.
He said it makes sense for the community to have the organization back and running because "response time is everything" when it comes to fires and other emergencies.
Concerns exist given the distance of Lower Macungie's facilities, the location of train tracks bisecting the borough, and the increased cost the borough took on when swapping services to the Lower Macungie Fire Department, he said.
Macungie's annual budgeted fire costs increased from $50,000 to $90,000 in 2024 with the swap in departments.
The agreement with Lower Macungie Fire Department is for three years, automatically extending in one-year terms unless notified of an intent to terminate.
Macungie Volunteer Fire Department leadership is focusing on certifying and training volunteers and necessary maintenance has not been reauthorized to respond to calls.
Mayor shuts down passage
In an email address to council members, Mayor Conrad stated that he could not in good conscience sign the ordinance and that it is out of the ordinary request from past zoning changes.
"It singles out just two longtime property owners who have had their properties rightfully zoned town center and R-7.8 Medium Density Residential by Borough Councils," Conrad said.
"If big government can take away people's rights and freedoms to do as they wish with their properties that are located right along with other properties zoned the same way, it leads the community to wonder what council's motivations are and could the same thing be done to them."Macungie Mayor Ron Conrad
"At our last meeting a gentleman asked council what this ordinance would do to make our community better. The silence spoke volumes because this ordinance does absolutely nothing for the good of the community.
"If big government can take away people's rights and freedoms to do as they wish with their properties that are located right along with other properties zoned the same way, it leads the community to wonder what council's motivations are and could the same thing be done to them."
He said the only reasoning he heard from council regarding the zoning change was to prevent an apartment building there in the future. Conrad argued that was both unlikely and not a negative.
"All towns have apartment buildings," Conrad wrote. "I have lived in the middle of a big apartment complex for 38 years and it has not been a factor in my or our town's quality of life."
Council President Ron Karboski did not immediately respond to a request for comment following the meeting regarding the desired effect that the ordinance would have had.
The ordinance as written states that "Macungie Borough Council has determined that the proposed amendment ... is in the best interests of Macungie Borough and its citizens."
Call for help yields resident support
Both fire department and borough officials have noted ongoing legal disputes with former Chief Mike Natysyn.
Accusations against the former chief include the mismanagement and unauthorized sale of assets and mismanaging personnel during his time leading the organization.
New Secretary Damon Smigielski, who said he previously was a volunteer under Natysyn and a volunteer with the Lower Macungie Fire Department, said he saw the need for leadership and resources that the Macungie Volunteer Fire Department had, and joined the new leadership team.
"We are personally out of our own pockets putting money into this, and that's only because Tim basically showed us this is worth it," Smigielski said.
Progress on department revival
A message on a local Facebook group for the borough stated that the new leadership team has been "diligently working to reorganize the Department for the benefit of the Borough of Macungie."
It urged residents to come out to support them against the Borough Council's decision to introduce "roadblocks" to their success and raise funds independently.
About 18 supporters and fire department members outside the meeting listened to Romig speak about the state and progress of the department's revival attempt after the ordinance was tabled indefinitely.
Romig said many assets went missing under Natysyn's watch.
"We've got rid of all the bad actors," Romig said to supporters who attended the meeting. "We're still rebuilding a lot of other areas, including paying off our debt."
Fire department members meet at 7 p.m. every second and fourth Thursday at the fire station facilities.
The new leadership says it is actively seeking new volunteers as the new leadership seeks to rebuild the organization.
A new chief has not yet been selected.
